The Issue of Socio-Economic Life discussed at the Second Vatican Council. Latin American and Caribbean Contributions

The agenda of Vatican II was progressively delineated from the consultation proposed by John XXIII, in 1959-1960. The contributions of Latin American and Caribbean protagonists collaborated in putting it together. Among other aspects, they drew attention to multiple issues related to the so-called social doctrine of the Church. This article offers an overview of the proposals and, subsequently, presents and analyses the interventions in the conciliar hall (1964-1965), concerning the debates on the topic of socio-economic-life” and on its corresponding chapter in the drafting of Gaudium et spes. The itinerary allows us to visualize the growing development of an ecclesial and socio-cultural awareness, some changes in the course of things and, also, seeds of developments that would appear in the post-conciliar period regarding the theological-pastoral method and theological categories such as liberation and option for the poor, which had been absent until then.

KEYWORDS
Social Doctrine of the Church; Gaudium et spes ; Social Justice